Industrial buildings which use steam boilers for heating may use the boiler steam for humidification by injecting it directly into the air. A steam dispersion system panel is used to uniformly disperse the steam into an airstream within an air duct or air handling unit (AHU).
Cool air flowing across the dispersion tubes of the steam dispersion system panel causes some of the steam within the dispersion tubes to condense. This condensate is drained out of the steam dispersion system panel to prevent it from accumulating and entering the airstream with the steam.
The condensate drain of a pressurized steam dispersion panel is typically located on the end of a steam header of the panel opposite of the steam inlet. The velocity of the pressurized steam entering the header of the steam dispersion system forces the condensate to the opposite end of the header where the drain is typically located. If the drain were on the same side as the steam inlet, then unwanted condensate could accumulate in the header and enter the airstream. For this reason, condensate drains are typically located on the end opposite of the pressurized steam inlet.
However, locating the drain on the opposite end of a header from the steam inlet necessitates access to both ends of the header for installation of steam and condensate piping, thus potentially increasing the size of the AHU or reducing the active dispersion area of the panel. Installation costs may also be higher for the piping.
An external condensate drain pipe can be installed underneath the header and sloped back to the steam inlet side of the header, but this may increase cost and requires space underneath the header which may reduce the active steam dispersion area of the panel.
It is desirable for the steam inlet and condensate drain to be on the same side of the header. Access to only one side, instead of both sides, of the header is then needed for steam and condensate piping. This can reduce installation costs and utilize the AHU space more efficiently. However, unwanted accumulation of the condensate is a serious concern as noted above.
Improvements in this area are desired.